Sound recording and reproducing instrument



Mar. 27, i923.

c. l.. NEWLAND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. EL, 1922 7 sheets-sham, l

Mar. 27, 1923. ,45045 c. L. NEWLAND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUGING INSTRUMENT 14, .J '7 sheets-sheet, 2

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7 sneetshem Charles L Nevland INVENTOR ATTORNEY Mar. 27, 1923. l

C. L. NEWLAND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug.l 14, 1922 Mar. 27, Y1923.

C. L. NEWLAN D SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT 14, 1922 '7 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Aug.

Charl'es L. Nevland.

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C. L. NEWLAND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT 1922V 7 sheets-sheet 5 Filed Aug. 14

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SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug.

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1922 '7 sheets-sheet E INVENTOI? ATTORNEY Chavles T LNevkm Mar. 27, 1923.

C. L. NEWLAND SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 14, 1922 '7 sheets-shent 7 EQMG Chfamle I JNevlffmd ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1923-.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LESLIE NEWLAND, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

y SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING INSTRUMENT.

Application ed August 14, 1922. Serial No. 581,884.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES LESLIE NEW- LAND, a subject of the King of England, residing at 223 Westmount Road, Eltham,

London, Kingdom of England, have invent-A ed certain new and useful Improvements in or Connected with Sound Recording and Repproducing Instruments, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to sound recording and reproducing instruments.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide this class of instrument with improved control mechanism designed to reduce to a minimum the liability of injury, owing'to inattention, to a record and to the reproducer particularly when the end of a record has been reached.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide the instrument with an improved form of tone-arm, whereby the sound waves from the different sound chambers are kept Separate from one another as they enter and pass through said tone-arm thus preventing said 5 sound waves intermingling, and ensuring that the base tones and the higher tones are reproduced Quite clear and distinct.

The invention refers primarily to starting and stopping control mechanism of the kind o whereby the instrument is stopped, and the needle or stylus is simultaneous y raisedfrom the record, by hand actuated means operable from the exterior of the cabinet or case of the instrument, and without the necessity of opening said cabinet yor case, and of lifting the needle or stylus from the record directly by hand. The invention also refers to in.- struments` of the kind in which two or more separate reproducers or sound boxes, each having a sound chamber, or a single body internally partitioned to form two or more separate and independent sound chambers, are or is carried by the end of a tone-arm.

According to one feature of the resent invention starting and stopping mec anism of the kind referredl to is provided with 'a starting member which cannot be operated, to start the instrument, when the' ca inet or case is closed and until said cabinet .0r case is opened for the purpose of using the instrument.

Another feature of the invention consists in that a. single tone-arm is provided andv formed with two or more spaced tubes or branches which are separate and distinct from one another along their lengths, are mounted on a single pivot common to them both or all,.and are independently connected to the separate sound chambers and do not join with or merge into one another except at the point at their ends where they are pivoted and the sound waves enter the trumpet or horn or the sound diffusing chamber of the cabinet or box of said instrument. Thus, the invention is distinguished from the ltypes of instrument in which two or more separate and independently ivoted tone-arms, or a single internally and) longitudinally partitioned tone-arm having its extreme end bifurcated,- are or vis employed.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which y Figure 1 lis a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating a suitable manner ,of carrying out the invention in connection with a gramo-phone, and indicating the mechanism in position after having stopped the instrument,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fi re 1 and indicating the mechanism in position after having started the instrument, A

Figure 3 is a rear elevation `showing the starting lever in position when the instrument is stopped,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and indicating the starting lever in position when the instrument has been started, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, with part-s broken away, of the instrument complete;

4Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation illustrating a modified mannerof carrying out the invention, and indicatmg the mechanism in 1position whilst the instrument is running.

l Figure 7 is a plan of parts of the mechanism shown in Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is a rear elevation showing the starting lever in position when the instrument is running; Figure 10 is a plan illustrating a suitable construction of a two-part tone-arm,

Figure 11 is an underneath plan of the inner. end portion of the tone' arm of Figure and showing the 'securing ange turned round a little in relation to said tone-arm, and' Fi ure 12 is a detail sectional elevation on the line 12-12 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of two-part tone-arm;

Figure 14 is a perspective View illustrating yet another modification, and showing the invention as carried out in connection with a three-part tone-arm,

Figure 15 is a View of the inner end ofv the tone-arm of Figure 14, and

F igure 16 isa detail sectional elevation on the line 16-16 of Figure 14;

Figure 17 is a detail modification.

Similar parts in all of the figures are designated by like reference numerals.

The mechanism shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a rod 15 mounted to slide axially through the front 16 kof the cabinet or case of the instrument, and formed at its outer end with a finger knob 17 and at its inner end will a collar 18. -A-lever 19 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 20 on the inside of the front of the cabinet or case,.andv is ,pro-

l vided with an enlargement 21 adapted to cooperate with the rod and its collar, and is connected to a'spring 22 which tends to maintain said enlargement in contact with said rod and collar. A bar 23 mounted to slide longitudinall'yand in the vertical plane of the rod 15 has its front end arranged adjacent to a shoulder 24 provided on a rocki ing bar 25 the upper end of which contacts 'with the collar 18 on said rod, whilstits lower end is loosely mounted on a' screw and has a spring 26 pressing against it. The rear end of the bar 23 is slotted to receive the lower end of a finger 27 .which is pivoted intermediate its ends at 28, and is curved over4 at its upper end29. The bar 25 carries a `brake block 30 of fibre or other suitable ma'- terial. A spring 31 is connected to the lower end of the finger 27 and tends to pull the bar 23 forwardly and the finger into the position indicated in Figure 2. The repro- .ducer 32 of the instrument is mounted to turn on the forward end of the tone arm 33, trumpet or horn of the latter, and a curved plate 34 or other member is connected to said reproducer and serves as a crank-arm by medium of which the latter is lifted and .as 'a partial counter-balance weightl for the same.

The .mechanism abovedescribe`d operates as follows ':-,-Normally, that is, when the instrument is not working, Figures "1, 3 and 5, the rod 15 is extended inwards within the cabinet or case and, through the medium of the bar 23 operatively' connected to its inner end by the bar 25. holds thefinger 27 in such position that the upper end of said finger is pressed upon the curvedplate 34 plan of still another v and thus holds the reproducer 32 in a raised position and withits needle or stylus 35 lifted out of Contact with the record 36 on the turntable 37 of the instrument; the brake block 30 is held in contact with the turntable and prevents rotation of the latter. At the same time the enlargement 21 on the lever 19 is held by its spring in front of the collar 18 on the rod 15, so that, until said lever is moved out of this position, said rod is locked and cannot be pulled forward; if the cover or lid 38 of the cabinet or case is closed as shown, the lever 19 cannot be operated to releasethe rod 15, and to start the instrument.

the cabinet or case has been opened,- if the lever 19 is turned over on its pivot to release its enlargement 21 fromV the rod 15 the latter is immediately and automatically moved forwardly, to extend out of the front of said Now, assuming that the cover or lid 38 of cabinet or case, by means of the bar 23 through the bar 25, which bar 23 is pulled forward by the spring 31. movement of the bars 23 and 25 turns the finger 27 on its pivot and moves the brake block 30 out of contact with the turntable 37,

which now starts to rotate, and the upper.

end 29 of said finger retracts from the curved plate 34; this release of the curved plate enables the reproducer 32 to turn and its needle or stylus '35 to engage the record 36, and it is preferred that said movement of the reproducer is brought about by hand to prevent bumping of the needle or stylus on to the record. The lever 19 then rests on the .peripheryl of the collar 18, Figures 2 and 4.r l

Reversely, when it is desired to stop the instrument the rod 15 is pressed inwards and said rod pushes the bar 23 back through the bar 25,`the starting lever 19, in the meantime, springing into engagement in front of the 'cooperatin collar 18 on said rod. This movement of t e bar 23 swings the finger 27 into its normal position so that its upper end 29 first engages with the curved plate 34 to This forward raise the reproducer 32 and lift the needle or stylus 35 out of contact with the record 36,

and then the brake block 30 engages' with the turntable 37 and stops the latter. The starting lever 19 cannot returnto its normal position until the stopping rod 15 is pressed inward. f

` In this manner the needle or stylus 35 is lifted and the instrument is stopped in one operation, and this Without the necessity of opening the cabinet or case and-fumbling with the reproducer 32 by hand; the start` .ig lever 19 cannot be operated if the cabinet or case is closed and locked, and the stopping l rod 15 cannot be pulled out; and the curved plate34 serves to partially counter-balance the weight of the rep-reducer, to reduce to a minimum-the pressure of the needle or lmeans may be provided whereby the mechanism is operated automatically to stop the instrument when the end of thel record is` reached. For instance, the slidable bar 23 of Figures 1l to 5 could be adapted to be moved to its stoppin position by a pivoted lever which is direct y contacted and operated b the needle or stylus 35, by the soundbox o the reproducer 32, by the tone arm 33, or by an other suitable movable part carried by sai reproducer or tone-arm,l at the moment when the record 36 is finished. The pivoted lever may be operatively connected to an india-rubber or other D shaped pivoted block which is turned into contact with the turn-table 37. Thus, in the construction illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 a spindle 40 is rotatably mounted on the lid or cover 38a and carries an india-rubberor other fairly soft D shaped block 41, andI at its lower end a fibre or other cam 42. The upper end of the spindle 40 also carries an arm or lever 43 which is adjustable longitudinally and is held in place bya finger screw 44, the free end of said arm being adapted to be contacted by the crank-arm 34. A slidable bar 23 is operatively connected to a pivoted finger 27 alt its rear end as before, and at its front end .to a stopping rod 15a by means of a hole in said ar engaging overa pin 45 on a bracket piece 46 carried by said rod. A startlng lever 19?* pivoted at its lower end at '20a is formed with an enlargement 21a adapted to engage in front of the bracket piece 46 when the instrument is stopped, and to rest against said bracket piece, Figures 6 and 9, when the instrument is running. The starting lever 19a carries a We ge-sha-ped brake block 30a which 4is always in,close proximity to the edge of the turntable so that a comparatively 'small movement of the lever 19, which moves the enlargement 21a behindthe bracket piece-46 but is not sufiicient to brin the leve-r against the rod 15, causes the bloc 30 to engage the edge of the turntable and stop its movement.

The cam 42 is adapted to engage a lever 47 pivoted iat 48 and arranged to press against a in 49 depending from the slidable bar 23.

ith this construction, the automatic stopping mechanism is set before the record is started, and this by swin ing the tone arm 33 over the record until t e needle or stylus 35 is over the last groove 36 of said record, as indicated in Figure 7,l and by adjusting the rod 43 until its free end just touches the adjacent end of the crank arm I so `adjusted the rod is in its off position and the block 41 is just clear of the turntable. The tone arm 33 is then swung back to position the needle or stylus 35 at the com- 34. When 'pivot pin 54 and with mencement of the record, and the instrument is started by turning over the lever 19 and causing the stopping rod 15a and slidable bar 23 lto move forwardly, and the finger 27 to free the crank-arm 34 in the manner described in connection with Figures 1 to 5. Now, when the end of the record is reached, and the crank-arm 34 again arrives at the position indicated in Figure 7, said arm engages the rod 43 and moves the latter in the direction shown by the arrow, thus rotating y the spindle 40. The rotation of the spindle 40 turns the block 41 into contact withthe rotatin turntable 37, and in this manner said splndle is further rotated sharply and decisively. The sharp movement of the spindle 40 causes the cam 42 to press the lever 47 smartly backwards, and said lever to also press the bar 23 rearwardly by medium of the pin 49, so that the reproducer is lifted by the engagement of the finger 27 withI the plate 34. At the same time, the rearward movement of the 'bar 23 pulls the bracket piece 46 away from the starting lever 19a and allows the latter to,spring into position in front of the said bracket piece, so that the brake block 30a is moved into en gagement with the turntable 37 to stop the instrument. The wedge shape of the brake block 30L causes the turntable to assist in moving the lever 19a into position in front of the bracket piece 46. It will be noticed thatl with the construction of the mechanism described in connection with Figures 6 to 9 the instrument can be stopped either by hand or automatically according to requirements, and that the particular parts of the mechanism vfor these two operations are automatically set when the starting lever 19a is operated to start the instrument.

As shown particularly in Figures 1, 5, 10 and 11 the tone-arm 33 may be formed by two tubes or branches 50, 50, which are connectedr to and merge into one another only at the elbow or base portion 51 of said tonearm, that is, at the art of the latter where it is connected to t e trum et or horn 52 or to the chamber or box o the vcabinet of the instrument. The two tubes may first be made separately from one another and then be soldered or otherwise secured together .at their base ends 53, or they can be cast or otherwise formed integrally with each other at said base ends as in Figures 1. 5, 10 and 11. The portions or ends 53 of the two tubes where the latter join one another together form the elbow or base of the tone arm, and this elbow or base can be externally cylin drical and be piyotally seated within a socket secured on the cabinet or box of the instrument in known or convenient manner. The centre of the elbow or base can be provided with a perforated boss to receive a a comparatively thin partition as at 55. In the construction merge into and are connected to one another by means of a base plate 56 which is rotatably mounted in a flanged ring 57 secured on the cabinet or box and provided with a bridge piece 58 carrying the pivot pin 54.

The above references to the raising of the reproducer are meant to include many constructions of instruments in which said reproducer is carried by one end or both ends of a U or other shaped connecting tube 59 one end 60 of which is pivotedV to the adjacent end of the tone-arm 33, trumpet or horn at 61'so that saidv connecting tube and the reproducer can be turned over or lifted upon saidztone-arm, trumpet orhorn. The invention is equally applicable to instruments having a single sound box or chamber and to those having two or` more sound boxes or chambers. Again, the connecting tube 59 could be dispensed. with and the reproducer can be adapted to rotate or turn on its own vaxis and upon the end of the tone-arm,

trumpet or horn. When the'tone-arm is provided with two or more branches the reproi ducer or reproducers, sound -box' or'boxes is or are fastened to and carried b-y the free ends of said branches or tubes 50ct the tonearm in any suitable manner, and so that the separate outlets leading from the several sound chambers of the reproducer, reproducers, sound box or boxes are independently connected 'to'said tone-arm. Thus, in the case of two reproducers or sound boxes, 32, 32 Figures 10 and 12, the outlet of each of the latter may be mounted within or upon one ofthe ends of the U-shaped connecting tube 59, the arm 60 of said tube being rota-4 tably carried within two sleeves 62 provided on the ends of the two tubes forming the,

tone-arm, so that said connecting tube and the rep-roducer, reproducers, sound box or boxes can be turned over or lifted onsaid -tone-arm inknown manner. The pivoted arm 60 of the connecting tube is removably retained inV place within the sleeves of the tone arm preferably by means of a collar 63 mounted on and detachably secured to said pivoted arm and interposed betweenl lsaid sleeves, said collar serving also to prevent lateral movement of the connecting tube. The connect-ing tube preferably tapers and increases in diameter from its outeror free end towards the portion of said tube pivoted within the sleeves of the tone-arm, and this so that the tube conforms to the general shape or increasing diameter of the tubes 50 forming said tone-arm. The pivoted arm of the connecting `tube is formed with apertures such as 64 leading into the tubes of the tone arm, a partition block or disc 65 being disposed between the sleeves '62.

In a modifica-tion, Figure 13, three reproducers or sound boxes, 32, 32i and 32b may be employed, in which case the third reproapertures 67 provided in the U-shaped connecting tube into both of the tubes 50 forming the tone-arm. The small tube 65 may be made separately from and secured to the collar 63 or be formed integrally therewith. Inl the construction illustrated vin Figures 14 to 16 the small tube 65a is secured to the pivoted arm 6() of the U-shaped connecting tube 59, and its inner'end is adapted to move in a slot 68 formed between the two sleeves '62, 62.v The tube portion 60 is formed with apertures 64 as before," andV with a third aperture 64 through which the tube 65a communicates with the central tube 50, partitions being provided within said tube portion and between said apertures 64 and 64?. Y

Figures 14 to 16 also illustrate a tone-arm built up of three tubes or branches 50, hav

iml

its base portion 59a rotatablymounted within the sleeves 62-on the tone-arm, or said tube can be substituted by two separate elbow-pieces such as 59h, Figure 17 each having one ofvits ends mounted to turn in one of the sleeves.

The collar 63 may be formed integrally with the plate 34 as indicated in Figure 2. The means for mounting the reproducer or reproducers, sound bo'x or boxes on the tonearm may be modified.

If desired the mechanism may be modified in an brake bloc to engage with the governor disc of the clockwork or other motor of the instrument, or with. any other movable part of the motor or of the transmission between the latter and lthe' turn-table or support 37 of the record 36, said movable part being,

however, distinct from said turntable or sup ort.

hat I- claim is 1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a pivotally mounted sound box having a combined crank arm and counterbalance depending therefrom at one s1de of its pivot, apivoted lever having one end movableinto contact with said crank arm to raisethe sound box about its pivot,

suitable manner to enable the' a spring normally holding the lever out of contact with the crank arm, and recipl rocable means connected with the lever and operable to move the lever in opposition to said sprinu and raise the sound box.

2. .In a levice of the character described, the combination of a cabinet, a tone arm within the cabinet and having a sound box a lever pivoted adjacent the tone arm and movable into contact With the sound box to raise the same, means normally holding the level` out of contact with the sound box, a slide connected with the lever and extending to the front part of the cabinet, and means operable from without the cabinet to move said slide and lever and raise the sound box.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cabinet, a tone arm within the cabinet and having a sound box, a combined crank arm and' counter-balance connected with. the sound box, a lever pivoted beneath the tone arm and movable into contactwith the crank arm to raise the sound' box, a spring normally holding the lever out of contact with the cranli arm, a slide connected with the lever and extending to the front part of the cabinet, and means operable from without the cabinet to move said slide and lever and raise the sound box.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cabinet, a sound reproducer ivotally mounted within the cabinet, a ever movable into contact with the reproducer to swing the same away from the record, a plunger operatively connected tothe lever and operable from the exterior of the cabinet to raise the re roducer, and a spring-held latch ivote to the'inside wall of the cabinet an .automatically operable to latch said plunger when the latter is moved to raise the reproducer.4

In testimony' whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CHARLES LESLIE NEWLAND. 

